Combination garment



March 23, 1937.

R. F. COTEY ET AL COMBINATliON GARMENT Filed May 11, 1934 k Jc Z F c. H. n my 5 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 gamma PATENT oFFicE COMBINATION GARMENT Renah F. Cotey and Christian H. Fleck, Jackson, Mich., assignors to S. H. Camp & Company, Jackson, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application May 11, 1934, Serial No. 725,166

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in surgical and physiological supporting garments of the combination type disclosed in copending application, Ser. No. 665,894, as distin- 5 guished from combination corset and brassiere garments of the corselette type which are employed when only alimited amount of support and correction isrequired and primarily functions to retain the figure in a firmstate and presents a smooth foundation for the outer garments.

As an improvement over the garment disclosed in theabove cited application, the garment constituting the subject matter of the present invention has the abdominal supporting structure built directly into the garment structure proper obviating the employment of a separate inner belt structure.

Generally, it is one of the purposes of the present invention to provide an uplift and supporting garment which is applicable tocases which do not require the drastic service of the inner belt type of constructions yet do require a greater degree of support and uplift than can be accom-' plished by combination garments of the corselette type exemplified by the patents to Freland, No. 1,652,197 and to Kops, No. 1,680,997.

Another object is to provide a garment of the aforesaid type in which the intermediate section of the front portion of the garment is reinforced and constitutes an abdominal supporting area in the nature of a girdle. This area is held in against the abdominal walls to support the same firmly from the groin line upward through tab 3 attachments located upon opposite sides of the front portion of the garment and extending rearwardly and terminating in adjustment .straps which are associated with buckle and lacing structures through which the intermediate and lower sections of the back portions of the garment are adjusted relative to each other.

A further object is to provide a brassiere constructed in telescopic fashion with the upper part of the abdominal supporting area as defined in i the preceding paragraph whereby a smooth foundation of the outer garment is maintained in both standing and sitting postures.

These and other objects and advantages residing in the construction and arrangement and combination of parts going to make up our improved garment will appear in the detailed description to follow. The invention is clearly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the extended state as viewed from the outside.

Having specific reference to the drawing, the garment It consists of a front portion 52 having a lower skirt l3, an intermediate section it, and 5 an upper section 55. Preferably the sections Hl-i5 are provided with stiffening stays it to provide a .fillll support for the upper and lower abdominal walls. The upper edge i! of the section i5 is located below the mammary glands and 10 elastic gussets lt-lt are provided to give release at the diaphragm. For positioning the sections l t-i5 in abdominal supporting position and for retaining the same firmly and against displacement due to body movement, triangular tab attachment portions 22-43 are secured along vertical lines 2t 25 as to be located at opposite sides of the front section l2 with the garment embracing the body. The line of traction through the tabs 23 resulting from adjustment of the back portions, as will be hereinafter described, extends from the groin to a point Well up on the abdomen. That is, the section It and the lower part of the section It, through take up on the tabs 23, functions substantially as the inner belt construction disclosed in copending application, Ser. No. 665,894. At the same time the upper part of the section It firmly supports and controls the diaphragm or upper abdomen region.

The opposed edges of the back portions 262'l are adjustably laced, as at 28, throughout the lower and intermediate portions of the garment. Preferably the laced adjustment is of the Camp continuous lacing type with the lacing having a free running engagement with adjustment buckles 29 through which adjustment straps 39-3! secured at one end to the tabs 22-23 are passed and extended toward the front of the garment to be grasped-by the wearer to adjust the garment to the body.

Between the front and back portions are arranged side portions 32-33. It is to be noted that the intermediate sections 3435 of the side portions include no elastic sections or release gussets; this is also the case in the back portions 26--2'i. For this reason that portion of the front portion [2, which is served by the tabs 2223, is firmly held in uniform abdominal supporting position at all times and its effectiveness is not impaired by body movement. Elastic release inserts are provided at 36-31 in the skirt section of the side portion and at 38 of the front portion. The inserts at 36-3'l are preferably triangular with the amount of release maximum at the lower edge of the garment and terminating short of the intermediate sections of the garment. These inserts give the necessary release to the wearer in the'sitting position yet are so located in the garment as not to impair the firm abdominal supporting action of the intermediate sections of the garment.

The brassiere member 39 of the garment is constructed to include the upper unlaced section of the back portions 262'|, and a separable front portion 40 which is attached to the portions 26-21 at 41 approximately beneath the arms of the wearer. As illustrated, the front portion 40includes right or left fulled sections 42-43 for receiving and supporting the mammary glands. Before these sections is an extended section 44 overlying the upper section P of the front portion l2 a considerable extent. Preferably the lower edge 45 of the section 44 is yieldably anchored to the front portion l2 through an elastic strap and hook arrangement 46 which is adapted to be hooked into the loop 41 secured to the lower portion of the section [4. Diaphragm release is provided in the section 44 through inserted elastic gussets 48-49.

Through employment of the extended section 44, especially with the lower edge of the same yieldably anchored to the front portion l2, a telescopic action between the section 44 and the front portion l2 results which is of considerable importance both as to the comfort and appearance of the garment. This telescopic action provides' at all times a smooth foundation for the outer garments, obviating the unsightly projections of the upper edge of abdominal supporting garments which is usually terminated adjacent the mammary glands, and smoothing out of the Wrinkles which usually manifest themselves in the upper part of the front portion of a garment with the wearer in a sitting posture. It will be observed that the brassiere structure is substantially independent of the abdominal supporting structure of the garment although the back portions 26-21 are common to both. Bridging the portions 26-21 is a section 50 which may be inelastic but which is preferably elastic. This section completes the band effect of the brassiere structure.

From the foregoing description it should become apparent that we have provided an exceedingly comfortable combination garment of the type described, which possesses the characteristics of garments of the inner belt construction, which presents at all times a well tailored effect, and which, because of its simplicity, is

light in weight.

The garment illustrated in the drawing shows the features of the invention as embodied in a highly satisfactory commercial article in extensive use at the present time. Obviously we anticipate such changes and modifications in the illustrated garment as will readily suggest themselves to those versed in the art without making departure from the essential characteristics of the garment described. For this reason we desire to include as part of our invention all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination garment of the type described comprising front and side portions extending between and overlying the thigh and upper abdominal regions, a brassiere portion, a back portion common to said front, side and brassiere portions, an elastic portion comprising a part of said garment extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof imparting release to said brassiere portion and to the upper part of said front and side portions an elastic portion comprising a part of said garment extending upwardly from the lower edge thereof imparting release to the lower parts of said front and side portions, adjustable lacing located in the intermediate and lower parts of said back portion for adjusting the garment to the wearer below the brassiere line of the garment, means through which the traction of adjustment of the garment is concentrated upon the intermediate section of said front portion to impart girdle characteristics to that portion of the garment, and common adjustment means for said lacing and said means whereby the adjustment of said lacing and. means is simultaneously effected.

2. A combination garment as provided in claim 1 wherein said brassiere portion has an extended portion in telescopic relation with the upper part of said front portion.

3. A combination garment of the type described comprising front and side portions extending between and overlying the thigh and upper abdominal regions, means reinforcing the intermediate section of said front portion and being an integral part thereof to enhance the supporting characteristics of said front portion in the region of the lower abdominal wall, back portions in fixed united relation to said side portions, adjustable lacing in said back portions operative on the portions thereof opposite said front portion for adjusting the same relative to each other to adjust the garment to the body and to effect control of the thigh and upper abdomen, means for simultaneously adjusting said lacing throughout its entire extent, elastic means comprising portions of said garment extending from the upper and lower edges thereof imparting release to the upper and lower sec tions respectively of said front portion, the intermediate sections of said front, side and back portions defining an inelastic adjustment band, means associated with said lacing adjustment means for concentrating the traction of adjustment of the garment upon said intermediate section of said front portion, and a brassiere portion disposed above the upper part of said front portion, the adjustment of said brassiere to the body being relatively independent of said adjustable lacing and associated adjustment structure.

RENAH F. COTEY. CHRISTIAN H. FLECK.

III 

